How much diazepam to take before the dentist?

[Knightlight]

Hi there, sorry sorry sorry if this has been repeated! but vie been trying to fnd answers on the 'net and haven't found any place that wasn't so OTT! This forum seems rather down to earth =)

Okay so basically I suffer from agorpaphobia and severe anxiety, and lately I've had to go to the dentist to get some serious work done. I managed for a while but lately I couldn't reach the dentist without freaking out in the waiting room let alone the chair.

I went to a doctor for some temporary releif, he prescribed me 2mg of diazepam - his instructions were to take one when needed (so an hour before the dentist)

I took one for a test drive a couple of weeks ago, and yeah! It made me feel pretty sleepy but calm and happier than I usually am- actually I didn't realise how anxious I am constantly until I took this! however I wasn't nervous about anything that time, it was just a test run.

Today I went to the dentist for an emergency check up (turns out I need a root canal, urgh :( ) I took just the one pill an hour before I went- I felt pretty tired/sleepy but I still felt a little scared/anxious when I got into the chair. It wasn't as bad as it usually was but this was just a checkup, when I go in for the fillings and such, I'm not sure how I will react, and I am worried that might still panic.

I feel it's important to mention that I don't have a fear of pain btw, it's just the lack of control and people invading my mouth whilst I have to keep it open, that makes me feel very on edge. I tend to focus on my breathing, and whilst breathing techniques apparently work for a lot of people, they make me worse!


I'm very scared that even with Valium, I will still have this focus and still won't be relaxed enough when they do the filling/root canal.


Long story short!! I was wondering if I should take 2 of the pills an hour
before the dentist rather than just one? Is that overdoing it? Will it work? and also I was wondering how long they actually last?
It's been about 7 hours since I took this last one and I still feel pretty tired, tho I feel my senses coming back to me- but maybe I'm just tired from being up since 4am! Who knows xD


Anyway any advice/eerinece would be greatly appreciated!!!! Thank you so much if you reply :) thanks

Sarah xx

[VickiS]

Hi Sarah

My husband has the same problem with the dentist and he was given 5 mg to take an hour before he goes, also i found that some dentists can sedate you to have the work done which I have previously had and thought it was really helpful. Good luck

[joans60]

Hi Sarah
I am scared of dentist and had to have 4 teeth out last week
My doctor prescribed me Diazapam and he told me to take one the night before and one in the morning before I went to the dentist.
I have never taken Diazapam before and was pleased with myself I did not take one at all and went and had them out.

Good luck


Joan

[deepreason]

Only your doctor can really advise you as to how much to take but if it helps the usual dose range for someone who doesn't have a valium tolerance is 2-10 mg.

You'll also find that the more times you take it, the less you'll get the drowsy feelings and the "high" so it's easy to think it's not working but actually the anti-anxiety part of it doesn't tend to build up a toleranc anywhere near as quickly so you often end up just getting the anxiolytic effect.

I've been given 5 mg the night before and 5 mg the day of the operation for work on an ingrowing toenail before. This was years ago before I was on any other meds so I had no tolerance etc.